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constipation on keto

kikiboniki
kikiboniki Posts: 398 Member
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Hello, the title pretty much says it all.

Does anyone have suggestions for keto friendly ways to get things moving?

last week I drank a laxative tea, which was effective, but I'm back to square one now =(
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Replies

  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    Seems to be different for everyone. IMO, the trick is to find what's causing the backup -- avoid the laxative route.

    For me, the problem was too much cheese. I was snacking on it daily, and I suffered for it. For some people, it's meat. Both are high-protein sources that take a while to digest. Staying hydrated may help.

    Eggs helped me for some reason. Coffee helps many people. Lots of fat can help, especially coconut oil. Mg Citrate if you really need a laxative.
  • pedidiva
    pedidiva Posts: 199 Member
    magnesium can be helpful. I have 2 TBSP of chia seeds/ground daily.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Also, if you aren't uncomfortable and all that, eating this way naturally slows that process down. You might go FAR LESS. Many folks have to drop fiber, as fat takes over the lubricating process, and for those folks fiber gums up the works... Too many factors without more info.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    Less dairy, more fat, more coffee helped me. I go every day now. Was once or twice a week previously.
  • randiewilliams72
    randiewilliams72 Posts: 119 Member
    I have been having the same problem. It's soooo incomfortable. After a week I had to take something. I've been trying to get more fiber in my diet and I can't possibly eat any more fat than I already do. It's a problem.
  • CoconuttyMummy
    CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
    I had terrible bowel problems when i 1st turned Keto. It started with explosive green diarhhea (LOL, sorry, i should have warned you TMI approaching!), which turned into chronic constipation. I tried upping my fiber, but like KnitorMiss, i actually found this bunged me up more. Eventually i gave in and used some Senna-based laxatives, every other day to every 3 days for about 3 doses, and once the 'blockage' was cleared i've been fine ever since.

    However, i now go less often - once every 2-3 days - and smaller volume (sorry, there goes that TMI again!), but it feels 'normal'. Id prefer to go every day, obviously, but i dont feel constipated - it feels like things just naturally take longer to evacuate on this diet.

    There you go... Now you know almost as much about my poop as i do! Lucky you! ;)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I had a problem the other day, and I'm pretty certain it was because I ate too much cheese. Which at the time didn't seem like too much, but maybe I didn't eat enough of something else to make the cheese move along well. It isn't an every day problem for me, so I will just not hammer the cheese like that again. I was hungry and in a hurry so that is what I grabbed to eat. Better planning and preparation required. lol.
  • azcowgirrlup
    azcowgirrlup Posts: 207 Member
    CoconuttyMummy wrote: »
    I had terrible bowel problems when i 1st turned K :) eto. It started with explosive green diarhhea (LOL, sorry, i should have warned you TMI approaching!), which turned into chronic constipation. I tried upping my fiber, but like KnitorMiss, i actually found this bunged me up more. Eventually i gave in and used some Senna-based laxatives, every other day to every 3 days for about 3 doses, and once the 'blockage' was cleared i've been fine ever since.

    However, i now go less often - once every 2-3 days - and smaller volume (sorry, there goes that TMI again!), but it feels 'normal'. Id prefer to go every day, obviously, but i dont feel constipated - it feels like things just naturally take longer to evacuate on this diet.

    There you go... Now you know almost as much about my poop as i do! Lucky you! ;)

    Having experienced both of those problems since I started keto., someone in one of discussions recommended Broccoli. For the explosive green liquid type, it adds bulk and makes it safer to leave your house. For the opposite problem, it adds bulk/ fiber, and gets things moving along. I was hesitant to try it for the explosive type, but I did and it worked. I did not go nuts eating tons of it, I had a normal serving of about a cup or so with some butter.


    I can safely leave the house again without worrying about what might happen if I sneeze lol. :)
  • Jbarnes1210
    Jbarnes1210 Posts: 308 Member
    I think increasing your fat intake may help.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    I added a cup of coconut flakes a day on top of my large hand full of almonds. Getting a balance that worked like clock work did take me about 6 months. Coconut flakes are equal in carbs and grams of fiber too.

    For 40 years my life was controlled by the unknown that comes with IBS. There are so many good things that LCHF has brought to my life. Sunday I made a quick 350 mile round trip and never once thought about having to make an unplanned pit stop and actually eat two meals before I got back. That is freedom that I did not know for most of my life.
  • kleighsamboer33
    kleighsamboer33 Posts: 39 Member
    drink more water. If I drink a liter when I wake up before eating I don't have any issues. If you add lemon to your water it works even better.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Nuts, coffee and coconut works for me.
  • Teneko
    Teneko Posts: 314 Member
    edited July 2015
    TMI thread is TMI. >_>
    Contributing some TMI of my own:
    Been having increased coconut oil (with breakfast coffee), decreased vegetables, and increased magnesium citrate just before bed. I haven't had a solid BM in a couple weeks or so. :(
    I'm still having leg cramps, although a bit less than before I upped my magnesium, so I am really reluctant to cut back on that.
    So, ah...
    Drink more water, have coffee, have magnesium citrate, have coconut oil. Betcha you'll be loose as a goose in no time.

    -T.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
    Coconut oil is good to keep things naturally lubricated
  • azcowgirrlup
    azcowgirrlup Posts: 207 Member
    The only thing that keeps me from eating spoonfuls of coconut oil, is the unpleasant side effects of eating too much of it. It used to be more than 1 tablespoon a day was too much, but I can eat at least 4 tablespoons a day now with no bad effects. ...I love the stuff!
  • WhatLouAte
    WhatLouAte Posts: 155 Member
    Psyllium husk powder is also good, Same amount of carbs as fiber.
  • chaoticdreams
    chaoticdreams Posts: 447 Member
    Magnesium citrate works for me, that or coconut oil. First two weeks it wasn't an issue but lately it's crept up. I take a pill in the am and then Natural calm before bed as it helps me sleep too.
  • KaseyDH83
    KaseyDH83 Posts: 100 Member
    I have the same problem when I do low carb. I'm doing the Paleo AIP for a recently diagnosed autoimmune disorder, so I've had to cut out dairy and sweetener in my morning coffee. Instead I've been putting a tablespoon of coconut oil in it, and now my digestive system is running like a well-oiled machine. :smiley:
  • heatherandimran
    heatherandimran Posts: 26 Member
    I like benefiber but I'm new to keto so it may have drawbacks I'm not aware of
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    chaoticdreams wrote: »
    Magnesium citrate works for me, that or coconut oil. First two weeks it wasn't an issue but lately it's crept up. I take a pill in the am and then Natural calm before bed as it helps me sleep too.
    The problem with MC is that it is used for "evacuation" not constipation. It can really dehydrate.
    I use Metamucil daily. Sugar free. But the plain Psyllium husk powder works the same way without the added ingredients and can be added to a shake more easily since it doesn't have flavor.

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